Finance Manager, United States

About GiveDirectly

GiveDirectly (GD) aims to reshape international giving – and millions of lives – by providing cash grants directly to the world’s poorest. The Brookings Institution estimates that $70B of cash transfers would be required to eliminate the poverty gap; the aid sector currently spends $135B each year, much of it on evidence-free interventions. GiveDirectly wants to change that, establishing cash transfers as a benchmark for foreign aid – as the index fund is a benchmark for the financial industry – and in the process accelerating the end of extreme poverty.

GD has raised over $1B since launching in 2011, delivered cash to more than 1.5 million people in 15 different countries. We’ve also supported large-scale, experimental research that indicates strong recipient impact of our programs. As a result, GD has been celebrated as one of the most innovative non-profit companies by Fast Company, while the growing cash transfer movement (and GD’s leading role within it) have been featured in the New York Times Magazine, This American Life, Foreign Affairs, and The Economist.

Our culture is candid, analytical, agile, and non-hierarchical. Our global team of ~150, and country operations teams of ~650, together come from 21 different countries speaking 69 different languages. Team members bring experiences from the private sector, NGOs and government. From software engineers to seasoned humanitarian workers, former management consultants to public servants, researchers to field operations -- it’s an incredible group of people.

Our values are central and deliberately opinionated. We genuinely center the people we serve in our decision making, and strive to build an ambitious, fast moving and high performing environment. We strongly encourage you to read through our values carefully, if they reflect how you like to work and energize you, this could be a great fit.

We work hard to create an environment in which all our team members can thrive, succeed and grow.  We support flexibility, take care of each other, have fun, and create professional growth opportunities.

Location: This role is fully remote but will involve frequent collaboration on the East Coast time zone. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of employment Visas in the U.S. at this time.

About this role

Since launching US operations in 2017, the GiveDirectly U.S. team has record-setting disaster responses, the world’s largest privately funded COVID relief program, and some of the country’s largest guaranteed income and cash transfer programs – committing more than $280M in direct cash to low-income Americans. We are looking for a dynamic finance manager to serve as a trusted partner to the program leadership team to ensure we budget, report, and deliver cash efficiently and effectively. The finance manager will oversee end-to-end financial support including developing budgets that maximize operational excellence and program success, tracking and reporting financial performance, and managing relevant stakeholder relationships internally and externally. 

We’re looking for candidates based in the United States and willing to travel as needed. You must be authorized to work in the United States at the time of application; we are unable to sponsor international candidates for this position.

Reports to: Director of Finance

Level: Manager

Travel Requirement: Must be able to travel ~2-3 times per year for team retreats and gatherings, which may be in the U.S. or in one of our countries of operation. 

What you’ll do:

Budgeting: 

• Support for the Programs and Fundraising teams in developing budgets and reporting to support institutional fundraising
• Monthly review of program-level income statements and balance sheets with full variance explanation and reconciliation 
• Provide accurate and insightful financial information to the management team to improve their understanding of financial performance, influence decision-making, guide strategic planning, and identify issues. 
• Own timely and accurate donor reporting and invoicing (with support from accounting)

Risk and Compliance Tracking

• Implement and track the risk and controls dashboard, and drive risk mitigation procedures with the Country Director
• Manage program audits and special reporting to donors and regulatory bodies in accordance with the Audit SLA 
• Track overall portfolio cash flow and escalate issues

Stakeholder Management

• Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to ensure timely delivery of reports, corrective actions, audit compliance, and other cross-functional requirements 
• Establish strong working relationships with U.S. program leaders to ensure a deep understanding of programs on-the-ground  

What you’ll bring:

• Exceptional alignment with GiveDirectly Values and active demonstration of our core competencies: emotional intelligence, problem solving, project management, follow-through, and fostering inclusivity. We welcome and strongly encourage applications from candidates who have personal or professional experience in the low-income and/or historically marginalized communities that we serve.
• Language Requirement: English
• Bachelor’s degree in finance, accounting, or equivalent practical experience.
• 5+ years of professional experience in accounting or finance, with strong experience in budgeting and reporting. 
• Ability to liaise remotely with a wide range of people at all levels and across different cultures and to act with credibility, tact and diplomacy
• Excellent stakeholder management and strategic influencing skills
• Ability to be proactive and rational in problem-solving scenarios
• Strong time management skills with an ability to plan ahead, anticipate requirements, and obstacles, and an ability to juggle multiple priorities successfully, and to work to tight deadlines
• Conscientious and client-focused
• Maintains a calm disposition and positive outlook particularly when working under pressure
• A full appreciation of the value of cooperation, both internationally and within a team environment
• Aptitude to learn quickly new software tools, such as Slack, Intacct, Limelight, and Google Spreadsheets

Compensation

At GiveDirectly, we strive to pay our employees generously and equitably. We use an accredited third-party salary aggregator to ensure that staff’s total compensation package (base compensation + bonus)  falls within the 75th percentile of similar roles, at similar organizations. We also have a no negotiation policy to ensure we are paying staff equitably across roles. The United States base salary for this role is $94,700.

Why work at GiveDirectly?

At GiveDirectly, we work to ensure that you have everything you need to excel in your role and on your team, including:

• A positive and supportive team with opportunities for advancement 
• A demonstrated commitment to helping all staff develop and grow
• A competitive salary, including bonus
• A robust health benefits plan (exact details will vary by country)
• Flexible paid time off
• Allowances for desk set-up and learning and development

 #LI-REMOTE

GiveDirectly is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to the person’s race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

US applicants only:  We invite you to "Know Your Rights" as an applicant.

Commitment to Safeguarding

As a global organization serving some of the world’s most vulnerable communities, GiveDirectly takes the safeguarding of its recipients, staff, and partners seriously. To that end, GiveDirectly is a member of the Misconduct Disclosure Scheme, and will systematically check with previous employers about any sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment issues relating to potential new hires. We may also employ other robust pre-hire screens, including in-depth reference checks, criminal background checks, and sanctions screens.

GD is committed to observing all local, national and international laws that protect children, vulnerable adults, and basic human rights of all. GD is committed to a policy of “zero tolerance for sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment (SEAH)” and expects anyone who works for GD to uphold the protection and safeguarding of our recipients as a priority.

These efforts help us continue to build and maintain trust with the communities we serve, and prevent harm to our recipients.

Interview Venue and Accessibility

We conduct interviews over Google Meet with camera on (unless communicated otherwise).

Closed captioning is available during all Google Meet interviews, and interviewers will also post interview questions in the chat box throughout the call. If you need assistance accessing either of these features, please let your interviewer know at the start of your interview! 

We’re committed to running an inclusive and accessible application process for all of our open roles. If there are questions or concerns you have about the accessibility of our hiring process, we warmly invite you to reach out to careers@givedirectly.org. Please include the word "Accessibility" in the email title.

Want to put your best foot forward on your GiveDirectly application? Take a look at our Candidate Application Prep Guide!